Holiday Spirit

As the Hanukkah lights dwindle and the Christmas lights light up the nighttime sky, we honor the true spirit of the holiday season. Every year is a new chance to create new family traditions and remember those of holiday past. How can we bring the holiday magic into our daily lives? Joining us to explore is an honored guest, Rabbi Irwin Zeplowitz. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Rabbi Irwin Zeplowitz (AKA "Rabbi Z") was born in Niagara Falls, New York. Following his schooling at the University of Toronto, he studied at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Jerusalem, Los Angeles and Cincinnati, where he was ordained as a rabbi in 1984. After spending five years as a rabbi at Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in the Chicago area, Rabbi Zeplowitz came to Hamilton, Ontario, 1989 to serve as the Rabbi of Temple Anshe Sholom, Canada's oldest Reform congregation. In the Summer of 2003 he assumed the position of Senior Rabbi at The Community Synagogue. He is a strong supporter of programs that connect Diaspora Jews to Israel and of an inclusive, embracing Judaism. Rabbi Zeplowitz has lectured and taught as scholar at a number of synagogues, appeared on radio and television, as well as in wide variety of community settings. A popular teacher, he has taught numerous courses for Kolel: An Adult Centre for Liberal Jewish Learning in Toronto, JLearn, a learning initiative of the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Long Island and at a Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) Adult Study Retreat Rabbi Z is deeply committed to youth and has spent more than twenty years teaching at several Reform movement camps, most recently at URJ Kutz Camp, the teen leadership camp. He, like all our clergy, participates routinely in services for children of all ages. Rabbi Zeplowitz is married to Anne and has three children - Abigail, Deena and Nathan. He resides in Port Washington, New York. He is enjoys gardening, exercise, travelling and reading.